Arm-based Embedded System Design

An embedded system is a combination of computer circuitry and software that is built into a product for purposes such as control, monitoring and communication. With the development of Internet and the arrival of Post-PC times, the application of embedded system becomes more and more popular. Now embedded technology has been the focus of research works, embedded products have possessed great proportion in IT field. Meanwhile, a lot of embedded applications are calling for better performance and functionality of embedded systems. With the development of the domestic embedded applying fields, ARM that deliver high performance together with low power consumption and cost has become the first choice of embedded products from mobile communications, portable equipments to consumer and imaging applications. Linux remains the most widely used operating system and it can be running in on all major processor architectures, including ARM cores. The advantage of clear structure and open source makes Linux a very dynamic and fast moving operating system. In recent years, the research about embedded Linux is in full swing, and got a rapid progress. The embedded technology based on ARM and embedded Linux has become a spot light of current embedded field and should be widely recognized and applied.This thesis intends to build an embedded hardware and software developing platform based on ARM9 processor and Linux, and offers the overall solution to the user. The background and source of this thesis is an embedded image processing applications project from local staff room. Because the main work that the author undertaken in this project is the design of embedded system motherboard,LCD driver board and the BootLoader,LCD and keyboard driver. So this thesis will expand our study on how to build a complete, excellent performance embedded system. Firstly,the basic concept of the embedded system and the development process of embedded system will be introduced. we will bring forward the function analysis, architectural design and analysis the critical problems of the embedded system,include design of system framework,layout of development flow and the basic principle of how to select the embedded processor and operating system. These problems are meaningful to the design of application system based on embedded platform. And then, We will focus on the design of ARM-based embedded hardware platform,customization and crosslink of Linux operating system kernel, BootLoader, Linux driver development process. Finally, we will summarize the main research work and make a prospect of the future combining the developing platform with advanced technology of information industry.The solution of application system based on embedded platform which should be further researched and explored has enormous potentials.